Sorting of mail of a selected size and shape uses a tray or bin having a series of elongated slots arranged in columns and rows. The floor of the bin is supported on a horizontal base such as a table. The bin is also organized so a given number of slots is associated with a given geographical area or street region and each slot is associated with a given address within such geographical or street region.
Changes in mail associated with a given slot is indicated by a status bar inserted within a give elongated slot, such bar being color coded to given situation: yellow for recent forward, red for hold mail, blue for post office box and green for vacancy. Each bar is L-shaped in cross section and fits entirely with a given slot.
In operations, the sorter places the mail in the slots in rapid manner guided by the whether or not a status bar has been inserted within the slot. If no bar resides within the slot, the mail is correctly sorted. If a bar exists, the mail is routed to its proper designation. A problem exists where different addresses are associated with the same address, however. The regular carrier is often familiar with the status of a given slot, even though there may be multiple addressees per slot.
A problem often occurs where a substitute carrier is associated with a route. Such carrier is not familiar with such multiple addressees when looking at a specific color bar and moreover, he often does not derive any guide--informationwise--from the status bar. As a result, the substitute sorter often transfers the contents of a given slot to his route tray or bag even though he has not accounted for multiple addressees per slot and then re transfers such mis-sorted mail back to the central work station when the addressees discover the problem mail in the field.